Like it or not, winter comes each year and for half of the world population that means cold, snow and fewer hours of daylight. But this is not the case of the Canary Islands, where you can have some fun-in-the-sun all year around! Due to the islands’ position next to the western Sahara and southern Morocco, they are known as “the islands of eternal spring”. In fact, the archipelago generally experiences mild winters, when only rains on an average of three days a month, and warm summers. This leads the Canary Islands to be often associated with having the best climate in the world with an annual average temperature of 21°C (71.6°F). However, not only the weather is ideal all year around, The Canaries also boast over 3.000 hours of sunlight a year, which means that they have the most daylight hours of anywhere in Europe.

The Canaries with their extraordinary climate, long hours of sunshine, fresh sea breeze, warm waters and a natural volcanic landscape, also offer several activities such as water sports, whale watching, spas, hiking, golf, water parks and much more. Here tips for each month about what to do in Gran Canaria!

January – Christmas vibes

In Spain, unlike many others countries, the magic of Christmas doesn’t end on New Year’s Eve, but since the 5th of January we celebrate the arrival of the 3 Wise Men. During the evening of the 5th of January all the cities host a parade. Apart from this, you should not miss the Christmas Nativity Scene made of sand in Playa de Las Canteras in Las Palmas.

February – It’s Carnival time

The month of February in Gran Canaria is filled with activities. Carnival is celebrated during this month and the city decks itself out in colour and rhythm. Visitors can enjoy the outdoors atmosphere of Carnival due to the excellent temperature at this time of the year. Highlights include the Election of the Carnival Queen and the Drag Queen as well as the murga and comparsa competitions of singing groups and bands.

March – Let’s discover the nature

When in other parts of the world people are still wearing scarfs and winter coats you can experience the island enjoying the spring-blooming. Although the majority of the tourists doesn’t leave the coasts, the fascinating region of the island is the hinterland with its mountains and wild nature.

One of the best spots is the Barranco de Guayadeque, a ravine-type valley located in the municipalities of Ingenio and Agüimes. Apart from its notable flora and fauna that in this period enchants with almond trees blossom, what makes it a worth visiting place, is a large number of cave houses that it shelters. There, after the excursion, you can experience a unique lunch in restaurants dug in the rock.

April – Semana Santa

In 2017, the Holy week takes place in this month. In Las Palmas de Gran Canaria it is celebrated with several processions of religious statues of historical and artistic value from the parishes of Triana and Vegueta and from the Cathedral.

As Vegueta is the old part of the city, everything that smells of history is found there. This is not an ordinary month for the old quarter. The streets overflow with religious devotion while the huge processions, which are in themselves extracts of tradition, bringing together hundreds of believers onto its cobbled streets, take place in the city.

For this reason, this April, the old buildings in Vegueta that are not used to so much bustle, awake for a while from their lethargy.

May – Let’s discover the south

This month is a transitional one between crowds of tourists arrived for the Easter holidays and the summer ones. This makes May the perfect month to visit the south, which is the most touristic area.

Maspalomas, Playa del Inglés and Meloneras offer a vast number of resorts, luxury residences, the largest golf course on the island and a vibrant nightlife. Maspalomas is known for its enormous expanse of dunes next to the sea, for its great climate and for its old lighthouse, which witnessed the area turn into a holiday resort, since the arrival of the first waves of tourists.

You should enjoy the spectacular stretch of 400 hectares of dunes, which were designated a national park in 1994. You can only cross the area on foot or you can experience the cross by camel, which makes you believe to be in Africa instead of Europe.

June – Fiesta de San Juan

The crowds of tourists haven’t yet arrived and the weather is perfect with an average of 10 hours of daylight. Barbeques and beach parties from the sunset to the sunrise, fireworks and concerts, the San Juan night is a memorable, almost surreal scene and one that needs to be experienced.

This festivity commemorates the founding of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The city takes on a festive note with a programme covering scenic arts, concerts, children´s activities and institutional acts. Two very popular and unmissable activities in Las Palmas are the traditional bonfires on the eve of San Juan in different parts of the city and the dip taken by thousands of people at the las Canteras beach.

July – Caldera de Bandama

July is one of the months where there is a peak in the temperatures, as well as the highest number of tourists in the island. To escape the hot weather, you can go at the top of the Caldera de Bandama. It is a volcanic crater – 1000 m (3281 ft) in diameter and 200 m (656 ft) deep – with a 569 m (1,867 ft) high peak, the Pico de Bandama, which you can drive up. This peak has an observation platform from where, despite its relatively low height, you can enjoy breathtaking views of the entire north and east coast. With a clear sky, you might even get to see the neighbouring Fuerteventura island in the northeast.

August – Let’s go to the beach

August is the warmest month of the year in the city of Las Palmas, with an average daily temperature of 25°C. Temperatures don’t fluctuate much during the summers here, but low temperatures can drop down to 22°C during the evenings and reach up to 28°C during the warmer afternoons. Thus, a good way to stay fresh is going to the beach and swim in the crystal water of the ocean. You can choose the mainstream Playa de Las Canteras or the not so popular Salinas Natural Pools.

Playa de Las Canteras is a long strip of sand that stretches for miles along the bay, a place of special charm. Locals keep saying Las Canteras is one of the nation’s best urban beaches. And they have every reason to believe it. We recommend the long walk along the sand, past coffee shops and ice-cream parlours. The first things you will come across are the Puntilla sidewalk cafés and the fresh-fish restaurants. At the other end of the beach is the surfing environment around the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium, with yet more sidewalk cafés and bars by the sea.

On the other hand, if you want more relax and privacy you should go to las Salinas Natural pools. They are three pools interconnected with rest area, in a volcanic zone. The view of the city is spectacular from there.

September – Roque Nublo

Although September is considered to be autumn, tourists will be pleased to know that the warmest day of the year on average is September 2nd and the average temperature throughout this month is 24.2°C.Holidaymakers have time to enjoy the warm, sunny beaches and low precipitation of Gran Canaria.

The beaches are still prime tourist destinations during this time of year, but even though it’s autumn, there is no better time to explore a unique aspect of Gran Canaria, el Roque Nublo. It is a volcanic rock on the island protected as a natural monument. It is 67 metres tall, and its top is 1,813 metres above sea level. For the indigenous people of Gran Canaria, the Roque was a holy monument and a pilar of heaven, it served them as a ritual place to sacrifice to the sun-god. this is why it became the famous landmark of the island. Go there, it’s only 30 minutes walking in a landscape which has been defined similarly to the moonscape.

October – Ron Miel

It’s the perfect month if you want to escape the tourism masses. Enjoy the island and its traditional food and drinks, without queuing and reserving a table for dinner.

One of the unique product of Canary Islands is Ron Miel, a type of rum with honey, which gave rum the exclusive golden colour.The Rum Factory and Museum of Arehucas is one of the most important industries on Gran Canaria. The distillery, which is still in operation, was first established over 300 years ago, back in the 17th century. You can live a suggestive experience for only 2,50 euros. In fact, it offers visitors the chance to become acquainted with the brewing and distillation process, and at the end of the tour, visitors can sample different rum varieties which are produced here in their thousands of litres each day.

Be careful, after having tasted Ron Miel once, you’ll become addicted! Anyway, don’t worry Canarios are really hospitable and every time you’ll have dinner at a restaurant they’ll offer it to you at the end of the meal.

November – Gran Canaria Walking Festival

The good thing about Gran Canaria is that, if you are tired of beaches and water sports, there are many other options offered by the island. In order to diversify tourism on the island, the Regional Government invested in the recovery of the Caminos Reales (royal roads) and re-opened them to the public. These ancient paths allow tourists to get around the inner section of the island and provide access to almost 66,000 hectares of protected nature. Walking or hiking is a great way of exploring less-known, unspoilt landscapes and the dazzling beauty of the ancient Gran Canaria.

In this month, you can join the annual meeting where hikers from all over the world will discover the most beautiful sights of Gran Canaria. You don’t need to be a pro hiker because you can choose from various guided tours in which an interpreter of trails will show the most fascinating rural paths of the island.

December – Let’s surf

Once in gran Canaria, you need to try at least once to surf. There are surfable spots right around the island, but the majority of surf is done on the north facing coast (Las Palmas). With its offshore winds and big swells during winter, in December you’ll find the best surfing conditions.

Be sure to find a surf spot that matches your experience level. Some areas have strong currents and aren’t safe for newbies. If you aren’t totally comfortable on the board yet, check out some of the quiet offshore areas. There are great surfing schools all over Las Palmas, and they’ll direct you to the best spot for you. University Surf School, Oceanside and Mojo have got a really knowledgeable and helpful staff.

Truthfully, there is no bad time to schedule a holiday to Gran Canaria! What are you waiting for?

Pack your luggage and book your flight we’ll do the rest for you. Contact us!